The Dallas Cowboys are no strangers to high expectations, but their 2025 NFL season has started with more questions than answers. Sitting at a frustrating 1-2-1 record after four weeks, the team has been plagued by a defense that’s become the league’s punching bag—allowing a league-worst 1,189 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, and an absurd 8.5 net yards per pass attempt. While Dak Prescott’s offense has flashed brilliance with 40-point explosions in two games, the secondary’s leaks and a pass rush that’s generated just four sacks have turned promising leads into losses and ties. With the loss of Micah Parsons to Green Bay creating a void that’s impossible to ignore, the Cowboys’ front office is already eyeing the 2026 NFL Draft as a lifeline. In this detailed mock draft projection, Dallas uses three of their first four picks to rebuild a defense that can finally complement their star-studded offense. From Auburn’s explosive edge rusher Keldric Faulk to Ohio State’s versatile linebacker Sonny Styles, this blueprint could transform the Cowboys from NFC East also-rans to contenders. Cowboys Nation, buckle up—let’s break down how Dallas can draft their way back to dominance.
The Cowboys’ Defensive Crisis: Why a Draft Overhaul Is Urgent
Auburn Tigers defensive end Keldric Faulk celebrates a stop as the Auburn Tigers take on the South Alabama Jaguars.
Before diving into the picks, it’s worth unpacking just how dire things are on that side of the ball. The Cowboys’ defense ranks dead last in pass defense DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), a metric that adjusts for opponent strength and situation—meaning they’re not just bad, they’re historically porous. They’ve surrendered 15 plays of 20+ yards and a league-high five touchdown passes of 25+ yards, turning games into track meets where quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts and Jordan Love carve them up at will. The pass rush win rate sits at a dismal 30.4% (27th in the NFL), and with only one takeaway (a Donovan Wilson pick), turnovers are a fantasy. New DC Matt Eberflus has leaned into zone coverage (84% of snaps, the highest rate in the league), but it’s backfired spectacularly, exposing a secondary that’s talented on paper—guys like DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs—but overwhelmed without upfront pressure.
This isn’t just a 2025 problem; it’s a symptom of deeper issues. Trading Micah Parsons gutted the edge, leaving Dante Fowler Jr. as the top guy (with zero sacks so far), and the linebacker room is thin with DeMarvion Overshown’s injury history looming large. The Cowboys’ offense, led by Prescott’s elite 90.4 PFF passing grade under pressure (highest in the NFL), can score in bunches—114 points through four games ranks fifth league-wide—but they can’t outscore everyone every week. A draft focused on defensive playmakers isn’t a luxury; it’s survival. With high draft capital projected (likely a top-5 pick if the skid continues), Dallas has the ammo to target blue-chip talents who fit Mike Zimmer’s (or Eberflus’) scheme: explosive, versatile athletes who can stop the run, rush the passer, and cover ground. This mock assumes a top pick and a trade-up for the second, prioritizing immediate impact over long-term projects.
Round 1, Pick 1: Keldric Faulk, EDGE, Auburn – The Parsons Replacement Dallas Desperately Needs
With the No. 1 overall pick, the Cowboys don’t hesitate: they select Keldric Faulk, Auburn’s 6-foot-6, 285-pound behemoth who’s exploding onto the 2026 draft scene as the consensus top edge rusher. Faulk, a former four-star recruit from Highland Home, Alabama, has been a wrecking ball since arriving in the SEC, earning Defensive Lineman of the Week honors after a monster game against Kentucky. His 2024 stats—seven sacks, 45 pressures, and 23 run stops—highlight a rare blend of power (he bulldozes guards with a vice-like grip) and athleticism (a sub-4.8 40-yard dash at his pro day). Scouts rave about his versatility: he can line up as a 3-tech inside or a wide-9 edge, generating 24 edge pressures and five interior ones last year per PFF.
For Dallas, Faulk is the antidote to the Parsons void. The Cowboys’ pass rush has been anemic without their star (now terrorizing NFC North QBs), and Faulk’s run defense—tying for eighth among Power Four edges with 23 stops—would immediately shore up a front that’s allowing 4.8 yards per carry. Imagine him opposite Fowler: Faulk’s length and burst could double Dallas’ sack total overnight, forcing QBs like Hurts into quick decisions and buying time for the secondary. Projections from ESPN and CBS have him as a top-10 lock, with The Athletic’s Dane Brugler mocking him No. 6 to Carolina. At No. 1, he’s a franchise-altering steal, potentially earning Pro Bowl nods by Year 2. Cowboys fans, this is the spark that reignites “America’s Team” fearsome rep—raw, but with All-Pro upside.
Round 1, Pick 2 (Trade-Up via Green Bay Packers): Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State – Building a Sideline-to-Sideline Duo
Trading a future second and third to jump up one spot (a realistic cost for a falling Packers pick), Dallas lands Sonny Styles, the 6-foot-4, 235-pound Ohio State hybrid who’s transitioned from safety to linebacker with seamless grace. Styles, son of ex-NFLer Lorenzo Styles Sr., returned for his senior year after a dominant 2024 (100 tackles, 11 TFLs, six sacks), bolstering a Buckeyes title run. His scouting report screams modern NFL: elite speed (4.48 40), instincts (he forced a fumble on a game-sealing play vs. Ohio), and coverage chops that neutralize tight ends and slots. Voted an “Iron Buckeye” for his work ethic, Styles led OSU in tackles while blitzing for sacks, proving he’s no one-trick pony.
Dallas’ linebackers have been a turnstile—Overshown’s injuries exposed the depth chart, and the unit ranks 28th in run stop win rate. Styles pairs perfectly with Overshown, creating a duo that covers ground like hybrid safeties but hits like linebackers. His positional flexibility (he can drop into coverage or spy mobile QBs) fits Eberflus’ zone-heavy scheme, addressing the 15 big plays allowed. Tankathon ranks him No. 3 among 2026 LBs, behind Texas’ Anthony Hill Jr., and early mocks see him as a Day 1 starter. For a Cowboys D that’s third-worst in EPA against the run, Styles is transformative—think a bigger, faster Leighton Vander Esch with fewer miles. This pick isn’t just depth; it’s the athletic anchor to build around, turning reactive LBs into proactive playmakers.
Round 2: Genesis Smith, S, Arizona – Locking Down the Deep Ball
Staying put in Round 2, the Cowboys grab Genesis Smith, Arizona’s rising 6-foot-2, 204-pound safety who’s skyrocketed up boards with his ball-hawking prowess. After a stellar 2024 (four INTs, including a pick-six vs. Houston), Smith returned from the portal to lead the Wildcats’ secondary, earning Shrine Bowl watch list nods. His elite range (4.45 40) and closing speed make him a center-field eraser, reading routes like a quarterback and undercutting throws with sticky hands. At 21, he’s polished—former DB coach called him “the next Minkah Fitzpatrick”—and his size lets him jam slots without getting bullied.
The Cowboys’ secondary woes are glaring: 13 passes of 25+ yards allowed, dead last in coverage grade. Bland and Diggs are studs, but without safety help over the top, they’re toast on deep shots. Smith, who stayed at Arizona over portal temptations, adds that vertical presence, allowing man coverage underneath while patrolling the middle third. His 2025 stats (projected three INTs through early games) show growth, and as a Tucson native, he’s got that chip-on-shoulder mentality. This pick flips Dallas’ back end from liability to lockdown, potentially cutting explosive plays by 40%. For fans tired of watching 50-yard bombs, Smith is the draft-day dream—versatile, instinctive, and ready to contribute now.
Round 4: Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame – Adding Backfield Juice Without Ignoring the Run Game
Rounding out the haul, Dallas snags Jadarian Price, Notre Dame’s explosive 5-foot-11, 205-pound change-of-pace back who’s turning heads in 2025 with 273 yards and six TDs on just 40 carries (6.8 YPC). A Texas native who spurned Ohio State for South Bend, Price’s vision and burst (4.45 40) make him a third-down nightmare—746 yards and seven scores as a backup in 2024, now exploding as the lead dog. He signed a lucrative NIL deal with jeweler Johnny Dang, signaling his marketability, but stayed loyal amid portal buzz, earning “Honorable Mention Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Player of the Week.”
While defense dominates, the Cowboys can’t neglect the ground game—Rico Dowdle’s solid, but they need pop behind Javonte Williams (a potential re-sign). Price’s efficiency complements Williams’ power, creating a committee that keeps defenses honest and rests Prescott. His senior-year arrow-up trajectory screams Day 3 steal, with NFL upside as a receiver (30 catches in ’24). In a run-heavy NFC East, Price adds balance, potentially boosting Dallas’ 4.2 YPC to elite levels. It’s a savvy value pick, blending immediate spark with long-term RB1 potential.
This four-round mock draft isn’t just a wishlist—it’s a roadmap for the Dallas Cowboys to claw back from their 1-2-1 abyss and reclaim NFC East supremacy. Keldric Faulk erases the Parsons ghost with edge dominance, Sonny Styles fortifies the second level with athletic ferocity, Genesis Smith seals the secondary against aerial assaults, and Jadarian Price injects backfield electricity to keep offenses multifaceted. Together, these picks could vault Dallas’ defense from league-worst (32nd in points allowed) to top-10 territory, giving Prescott the support to chase another 4,000-yard season. With draft capital and need aligning perfectly, the Cowboys have a golden window in 2026. For a fanbase that’s endured ties and heartbreaks, this blueprint promises redemption: a rebuilt unit that strikes fear, balances the attack, and sets up a Super Bowl push. Star in, excuses out—Dallas is drafting to win. What do you think, Cowboys Nation?